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The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' serves as a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Popular tales often do not capture the full truth, including the most powerful characters in this world's intricate past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer prancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a pirate's game in search of emblems and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this theme. The entire Divine Isle story serves as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to judge the characters too quickly.

Legends often do not capture the full reality, including the most powerful characters.

The series's most recent look back, detailing the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the story's best arcs to date. Beyond the excitement of witnessing legends in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they turned into icons — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. The past, as recorded by the World Government and retold through secondhand tales, shaped our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the bold attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually mean his second voyage, the grand expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. Yet not much is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger knew little of the globe's hidden history. His affection for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the extermination "games," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in God Valley, but maybe finding the son of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his place in the globe and seek the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's account, each to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the Global Authority's approved version of occurrences, the very narrative the sovereign authorized to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the government's plan to annihilate the island where his kin resided, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his undoing. Upon confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their authority. Now, with what little awareness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive light during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks really meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is still a servant to Imu in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in constant transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

Another protagonist of the God Valley event is Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for a long time for standing by as Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandchild. Similar questions have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how can Garp serve the Marines, aware the World Government considers genocide and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality reveals something different. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' monstrous shapes, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to halt Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in God Valley, even it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the cause Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the audience are seeing the God Valley event through a flashback recounted by Loki, including perspectives and events he clearly was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as entirely accurate. The manga may offer an reason later, maybe linked to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that history is written by the winners. This attitude is {